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About Me

Stewart StevensonBanffshire, Scotland

Born in 1946 and brought up in Cupar, Fife, I was educated at the local school - Bell Baxter - and then studied Mathematics at the University of Aberdeen, graduating with a modest degree in 1969. That's also the year Sandra & I married. Her family comes from the North East.

Thirty years later I retired from Bank of Scotland as Director of Technology Innovation and was elected to the Scottish Parliament in 2001 as member for Banff & Buchan having first joined the SNP in 1961.

I am a Fellow of The Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce, a Member at The Institution of Engineering and Technology, a Professional Member of the Association for Computing Machinery, a Member of the Institute of Advanced Motorists and an Associate Member of the Highland Reserve Forces' and Cadets' Association.

28 October 2010

Banff & Buchan MSP Stewart Stevenson has welcomed figures which show the availability of Modern Apprenticeships has increased dramatically under the current Scottish Government. During the previous administration, apprenticeship places across Scotland fell by 20% from 20,649 to 16,930 but they have been restored to 20,218 since the SNP took office. Adult apprenticeships fell by just over 4,000 during the previous administration from over 11,000 to 7,359 but have also increased to over 11,000 under the current Scottish Government.

In Aberdeenshire, the increase in places is above the average, with a 29% growth in places since 2006/07. There are now 824 apprenticeships available in the area compared to 640 at the end of the previous administration.

Commenting, Mr Stevenson said:

“I am delighted that the SNP Government is successfully reversing the previous administration’s legacy of neglect when it comes to apprenticeship places. Apprenticeships are more important than ever during these difficult economic times as people seek to retrain and learn new skills.

“The situation in Aberdeenshire is well ahead of the national average and is testament to the fact that apprenticeships are clearly important to the fishing and oil & gas industries.

“These places are a key part of our economic recovery strategy and the contrast to the previous administration clearly shows that the SNP is the only party which can be trusted to protect and create jobs for people across Scotland.”